Communication
by astheblackrosewilts
Summary: Most people on Atlantis would say that Rodney talks too much McShep Preslash, Set in The Seige Part 2
1. Chapter 1

**AN** – Yeah well, I got the last two lines for this in my head and couldn't get rid of them, hope the fic fits.

**Disclaimer** – They don't belong to me, though I think we'll all have a whole lot more fun when they do

**Summary** – Most people on Atlantis would say that Rodney talks too much – Pre-slash McShep, Spoilers for The Siege Part 2

**Communication**

Most people on Atlantis would say that Rodney talks too much.

Even the ones that he spends the most time with, or maybe that should be especially…

If he asked Teyla she would smile politely and say something non-committal though, because she's like that and when you think about it Rodney has never really said anything to her. Something which has everything to do with the fact that she's a woman and nothing to do with the fact that she could kick his ass in her sleep.

Ford would roll his eyes and mutter something under his breath about missions before raising his voice and saying that he isn't really that bad. Because, in the end, the worst thing Rodney's done is taunt him a little with games of Prime/Not Prime and overall, Ford is too much like a puppy to disrespect anyone who has saved his life as many times as Rodney has.

But they'd still be thinking it, that he knows.

Even Elizabeth, if asked, would be thinking about unashamed, unabashed arrogance as she firmly stated something reassuring and extremely diplomatic.

And that leaves John, but Rodney knows he wouldn't give the same answer.

Because John's a lot more intelligent than he likes to pretend, and would be able to tell instantly that Rodney wouldn't be talking about complaints on missions, about whines about the weather, natives, food, or lack thereof. Rodney knows that if John thought about it then he'd eventually reach the same conclusion as he, himself, did.

Just a few minutes ago.

As he watched the tiny dot that was John's puddlejumper fly straight up to the hiveship before disappearing, leaving them know what just happened to him.

The conclusion that he can't possibly talk too much because, as Rodney's just realising, in a year of talking he hasn't _said_ anything.

Or at least, nothing that mattered anyway.

**Fin**

AN – Think it needs a sequel?


	2. Chapter 2

AN Well this is the sequel, a bit later than I would have liked to have posted it but my workload this week has been unbelievable. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and wanted a sequel 

Summary/Disclaimer/Rating – Please see first chapter

**Communication **

**Part 2**

'If the Daedalus had shown up even just a few seconds later then you'd be dead Major.' Rodney speaks the words quietly, as a statement, and isn't that a revelation in itself? Because Rodney never _says_ anything. He'll taunt, he'll shout, he'll scream, he'll snark and use sarcasm as a weapon until he's blue in the face… But he never _says_ a word.

John knows this too and right now he looks more confused than Rodney has ever seen him.

John was expecting to be screamed at, shouted at, berated, torn to tiny little shreds by the cruel barbs of Rodney's razor sharp tongue…

But Rodney's not shouting or screaming and John doesn't know how to deal with that, he just looks lost and the part of him that isn't wondering when he started to be able to read John's, seemingly blank, expressions is dealing with the sense of satisfaction that he's managed to confuse John, possibly just as much as John confuses him.

'You would have killed yourself,' he continues in the same tone of voice, 'using a bomb that _I_ built, you would have left us, _me_, here without you and having to live with that knowledge, knowing that, _forever_.'

John's eyes darken with understanding and guilt, almost unnoticeable.

Except to Rodney.

Because all of a sudden he's noticing things he never would have dreamt of seeing before and it's because of this that Rodney witnesses the very second that John finds the words to apologize and he stops him before John can even say them.

Because although Rodney knows that John understands exactly where he's coming from. But he also knows that if the situation were to occur again then John would do exactly the same thing.

And sometimes it really sucks to know everything because Rodney also knows that words will never really make John understand, because, despite the Major's attitude, he knows that John still considers his life to be worth less then everyone else's.

And it hurts that someone Rodney cares about so much can think so little of himself.

Rodney yelled at John after he risked himself with the Genii, during the storm, when he went out alone to fight the wraith, when he took one of Rodney's nuclear weapons up into the atmosphere and detonated it… and it never did any good. Because John just tried to blow himself up along with the wraith hiveship and all of a sudden Rodney hates him so much for that that he has to bite the inside of his mouth until he draws blood to prevent himself from screaming , begging, pleading with John to understand and to stay safe, just once.

But it will do no good and only waste energy and Rodney's nothing if not pragmatic and he recognises that wasting energy after he's slept no more than six hours in the past fortnight is extremely stupid. He realises that he needs a new strategy because words, his relied upon weapon since he was five and he had found his sister's thesaurus, just weren't working.

With hindsight maybe he shouldn't have been surprised after all, everything about the Major has shattered his expectations and assumptions and basically destroyed most of the solid information he's built his life on.

However, words have never failed him before and he has no idea what a suitable substitute is, what do people normally use instead? But then he meets John's eyes and suddenly he understands.

And John tastes like fire, desperation and danger and a thousand other things that he's always tried to stay away from but now he realises was all he ever needed. And he can hear water rushing in his ears, a roaring as his breath runs out but quite frankly right now he doesn't care. All he can smell is sweat and gunpowder and John.

He forces his eyes open and realises that John has his open too and he's staring into blue eyes that are shining with a thousand different emotions and thoughts, the main one is, we shouldn't be doing this… No matter how good it feels.

And Rodney agrees. Every single cell in his body, every single honed instinct since he'd first tried a lemon cookie at age three and he proceeded to die in the middle of his kitchen floor while his sister begged for him to wake up, is screaming at him to run, they shouldn't be doing this because it's against regulations and it can't be real because he's never been in love with a man before and can tell by the look in John's eyes that he hasn't either. They shouldn't be doing this, no matter how good it feels, _because_ of how good it feels…

But his hands are skimming over John's body wanting to take it all in, realising that they've wasted a goddamn _year_ and now he has to hurry and experience everything before it gets taken away…

When they break apart his lips are swollen, his cheeks are red and he's panting and shaking but that's okay, because he can see John and knows that he doesn't look any better. John's eyes are dilated, confusion and arousal shining in them.

And he looks into John's eyes again, he can see fear, concern and… love.

Just maybe, communication doesn't always require words.

**Fin**

AN Well, I think that's it. Thanks for reading.


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